Characters of a Sincere Heart, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Containing the Happineſs of the Saints in Heaven; or the inexpreſſible Conſolations which the Godly, even all ſincere-hearted Perſons, enjoy in Heaven to all Eternity.
IN the third and laſt place, let's conſider, 3. The comforts of the godly afte… death. Sect. 1.or rather admire at the happineſs, even the perfection of all comforts and happineſs, which the Saints ſhall enjoy after death in the higheſt Heavens to all eternity. As for all thoſe who lived in hypocriſie and diſſimulation, and lived without repentance, and ſo died; and as for all ſuch who lived without God in the world, having no fear of God before their eyes, but have committed ſin with greedineſs, and have run into all exceſs of riot, and ſo die in their unbelief and impenitency, theſe are the Goats which ſhall ſtand on Chriſts left hand; and againſt them he will pronounce that dreadful ſentence of condemnation, Matth 25. 41. Depart from me, ye curſed, into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. But all upright and ſincere-hearted Chriſtians, who are only Chriſts ſheep, they ſhall ſtand at Chriſts right hand; and he will pronounce to them that comfortable ſoulraviſhing ſentence of abſolution; Come, ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, verſe 34.
However ſuch who are Gods Jewels, and precious in ſight, are viliſied and trampled on by the wicked of the world, as if they were no better than the filth of 1 Cor. 4. 13. foreign.the world, and the off-ſcouring of all things… yet at the general reſurrection, both of juſt and unjuſt, there will be a reſurrection of the names and of the cauſes of the righteous, however in this world they have been traduced and ſcorned. Then the meaneſt of glorified Saints (whom this world thought they could not think bad enough) ſhall have the preheminence and ſuperiority above all the ungodly, though they have been never ſo great in this preſent world; for (ſo ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 49. 14.) the upright ſhall have dominion over them in the morning. From this Scripture it plainly appears, that at the general reſurrection the godly ſhall be known to the whole world to have dominion and Quamvis …c demerſis ſit i… te…ebris mund is, ex…ri…tur ſubito n… va… manè quod faciem verae & ae…etaae v…e …obis reſtituet. Calv. in Loc.preheminence above all the ungod…y men of this world. And that all ſuch who truly fear God, though in this world they were in a poor and abject condition, yet at that great day they ſhall be in a better condition, every way rich and honourable, and infinitely happier than any ungodly, great, and rich men can be in this preſent world.
Farther, the godly in glory ſhall partake of nothing elſe but joy and happineſs, and the perfection of both; but damned wretches ſhall be for ever debar'd from all manner of joy, and partake of nothing elſe but hopeleſs ſorrow, and endleſs miſery. At the general Judgment, when all without exception ſhall appear before the Judgmentſeat 2 Cor. 5. 10.of Christ, then there ſhall appear a great and wide difference between g…od and bad, chaff and wheat, ſheep and goats: that day will make a great and clear diſtinction. Then all the Enemies of Chriſt and of his Church, who rejoyced in perſecuting Chriſt here on Earth in his Members, would be glad to creep into holes (if poſſible) that they might hide themſelves from the wrath of the Lamb. Then they will wiſh that the mountains might fall upon them, and that Rocks and Hills, Dens or Caves might ſhelter and cover them from the face of the Lamb incenſed againſt them. The… thoſe bloudy Perſecutors of Chriſt ſhall ſee him whom they have pierced, zech. 1…. 10. Judas, who betrayed Chriſt with a hypocritical kiſs; Pilate, who (notwithſtanding the reluctancy of his own conſcience) condemned Chriſt to pleaſe the people, and releaſed Barabb as, an infamous Thief and Murtherer; the Soldiers, who crucified him; and after they had firſt been his Executioners, were his Executors to take his Garments: All theſe, and all other Enemies of Jeſus Chriſt, ſhall ſee him at that great Day to their terror and condemnation. Thoſe giddy-pated people, who a little before cried to Chriſt Hoſanna, and afterwards cried, Crucifie him, Crucifie him, ſhall appear before Chriſts Judgment-ſeat, and then receive their ſentence. Thoſe curſed Jews, who wiſht that the bloud of Chriſt might be upon them, and their Children (except ſuch only who are waſht in Chriſt's bloud) ſhall to their dread, and horror be condemn'd for embrewing their hands in the innocent bloud of Chriſt.
Sect. 2 At the day of Judgment all falſ Judgments, and unrighteous ſentences paſt on earth ſhall be reverſt. Pontius Pilate who paſt an unjuſt judgment againſt Chriſt, ſhall have a juſt judgment paſt upon him. Luther uſed to ſay, that At the day of Judgment, John Huſs and Jerome Luth. Loc. Com.of Prague ſhall appear to be good men, when the Pope and his Cardinalls ſhall appear to be vile, and wicked wretches. St Bernard uſ'd to ſay. That the Day will Veniet Veniet Dies quando male judicata rejudicabit Deu…. Bern.come, it will certainly come, when God will judg over again all falſe judgment. But as for all thoſe whoſe hearts were upright with God, whilſt they liv'd in this world, theſe after death are tranſlated into an eſtate of glory and happineſs, and in the higheſt heavens receive conſolations beyond all expreſſion, and a weight of glory beyond the capacity of any mortal man, which Chriſt gives to all his Children, who in their Pilgrimage on earth, endeavoured with their whole heart, and ſtrength, to ſerve the Lord in ſincerity, and in truth. All thoſe who were on earth Sincere-hearted, and real Saints, ſhall be acknowledged to be ſuch by Chriſt himſelf at the Day of Judgment. No ſin, no failing, nor imperfection ſhall at all be layd to their Charge in that day; for all failings and ſins, and all manner of imperfections ſhall be waſht away in the bloud of Jeſus Chriſt. What ever good things the Saints have done on earth, ſhall be all remembred, and not any one thing forgotten at the day of judgment. But whatever was bad and ſinfull that they committed on earth, ſhall not be layd to their Charge, but ſhall be blotted out of the Book of Gods Remembrance, and God will caſt them into the depth of the ſea. O: What a joyfull day, and full of Comfort will the day of judgment be to all the Children of God! Then they ſhall lift up their heads with Comfort and behold him who is their Judg, as their Redeemer, Advocate, Interceſſor, and Flder Brother, and he will pronounce for them a ſentence of Abſolution. At that day, all glorified Saints ſhall have their bodily eyes irradiated with the ſplendor of glory▪ and they ſhall be inabled to behold the Beatificall Viſion, and this is he Happineſs of all Happineſs, and this only is their portion, and appropriated to them alone who are pure in heart. Th…y are bleſſed (as our Saviour pronounceth them) Who are pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God. Then the Saints in glory ſhall ſit in Judgment as Aſſeſſors with Chriſt, and ſhall approve of the righteous ſentence of Chriſt in Condemning their unrighteous Judges. Then they ſhall ſee the Omniporent Eternal Jehovah, the Beeing of all Beeings the firſt perſon in Trinity uncreated, unbegotten, and unproceeding: Then they ſhall ſee Chriſt the Mediator of th… New Covenant, their only Saviour and Redeemer uncreated, but begotten, and not proceeding, who is the ſecond Perſon in Trinity: Then they ſhall ſee the holy Ghoſt the third Perſon in Trinity neither created, nor begotten, but proceeding from both. The Glorifyd Saints (what they believed when they were militant on earth) ſhall in heaven underſtand the great Myſtery of the Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity. One glorified Saint ſhall know more, then all the Learned men in the world. I'le conclude with this Doxology.
Now to the holy and bleſſed Trinity, and one God in Ʋnity, Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, be aſcribed all Honour and Glory, Praiſe and Thanksgiving, Dominion and Obedience, henceforth and unto all Eternity,
Amen,